Game indicator



Patented Jan. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application June 21,

1937, Serial No. 149,503

Renewed December 1, 1938 2 Claims.

This invention relates to game indicators and more particularly to an indicator adapted to be used in pool rooms when playing what is generally known as pea pool or pill ball pool game.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple and practical indicator particularly adapted for the above purpose which may be inexpensively manufactured and assembled.

A further object is to provide an indicator of the above character in which the markers will be clearly visible toall players at all times and preferably under the supervision of an attendant, thereby avoiding confusion and misunderstand- 15.;ing;

A'further object is to provide an indicator in which the individual player markers may be easily and quickly moved to one side or restored to normal position at the end of each game or set.

A further object is to provide an indicator of the above character, in which game or set markers are also used and which must be manually or positively moved independently of the movement of the player markers at the conclusion of 25 a set or game.-

Other objects will be in part obvious from the annexed drawing and in part hereinafter indicated in connection with the following analysis of the invention.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of parts, and in the unique relation of the members and in the relative proportioning and disposition thereof, all as more completely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art fully to comprehend the underlying features of this invention, that they may embody the same by the numerous modifications in structure and relation contemplated by the invention, a drawing de- 40 picting a preferred form of the invention has been annexed as part of this disclosure, in

which- Fig. 1 is a front elevational view showing the complete indicator with certain markers moved 45 to indicating position as shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a substantially longitudinal central sectional view;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 33, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a similar view taken substantially along the line 4-4, Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and

more particularly to Fig. 1, there is indicated a rectangular frame having a projecting flange 2U 55 extending all about the indicator with respect Uri.

to a fiat back wall 2|. Mounted in this projecting flange 20 is a series of transverse slides or wires 22, being seventeen "in number. Thetop wire is preferably for carrying the 16 or cue ball while the next fifteen wires therebelow each hold two player markers, those in one vertical line 23 being numbered consecutively from 1 to 15, representing the usual fifteen balls while the other vertical set 24 may have any desired arbitrary mark for purpose later explained. The bottom wire 25 carries three game markers 26 each of which has an arbitrary sign different from the others in column 24. These are for indicating a game or set, for it sometimes happens that no one wins a game, in which case one game marker 26 is moved to the left as shown by the dotted lines, whereupon the stakes are usually doubled or held over until the next game.

These game markers 26, as shown more particularly in Fig. 4, are provided with holding means as by being made thicker than the players indicators 23, indicated in Fig. 3, thereby to frictionally engage the back wall 2 l Fig. 4, necessitating a positive manual movement to force them from one side to the other. The other markers, as shown in Fig. 3, are clear of that wall and will slide freely from one side to the other along their respective wires as the frame is swung about its supporting pivot ring 21 when restoring the parts to' starting position.

It will be noted that both the player and the game markers are of a shape providing beveled or inwardly rounded vertical corners 28 as shown in Fig. 3, which will conveniently permit the cue or ones finger to be placed therein as necessary to move the marker to the desired position.

This game of pea pool may be played in many different ways and by two or more persons. Pool table equipment includes what is known as a bottle within which are sixteen small balls or pills each numbered consecutively from 1 to 15- and the black pill denting the cue ball is numbered 16. The attendant after racking all balls on the table allows each player to draw two small pills or balls, one of which is retained concealed by that player and the other returned to the attendant who will mark the ball number on the indicator above described by moving the corresponding numbers of the players markers to the left as shown by dotted lines, six in the present case, namely, 1, 3, 5, 8, 11 and 12. The

. six players shoot'or play in turn and, as a ball is pocketed, if any player holds the known number of that ball and it is one of the opponents, the second indicator is moved laterally towards the left, players 1, 3, 8, and 12 having been put out as shown. If the player holding the 5 ball, for example, then pockets the 5 ball, he wins the game, but if some other player pockets the 5 ball, then the holder of the 5 ball merely pays a forfeit or the like to the person pocketing his ball as did players 1, 3, 8 and 12.

As to the secretly held numbers by the various players no one knows when these are pocketed unless the player holding his own number pockets his own ball in which case he wins thus providing an element of chance or skill and surprise to the others. The above is only one of the numerous variations of playing, but the indicator may be used on all known variations without modification.

It sometimes happens, however, that no one wins the game, in which case one of the game markers 26 at the bottom of the indicator is moved laterally towards the left to show that one game has been played and that the penalties are doubled or held for the second game. Three of these game markers are shown at the bottom of the indicator, as it ,rearely happens that more than three consecutive games are played without some one player winning. Upon completion of each game the indicator is swung upwardly towards the left about its pivotal support thereby allowing all of the players markers to move back to the position shown in full lines at the right. The game markers, however, are thicker and frictionally engage the back wall 2| of the indicator as shown in Fig. 4 and these will not slip to the right when the player markers are being restored. It is necessary to move these manually upon completion of the set.

It is believed to be unnecessary to go into details of the game as it is played in different ways in different localities.

It will thus be seen that the present invention comprises a simple and practical indicator which may be inexpensively manufactured. The device is easy to operate and clearly visible to all players, thereby to avoid confusion or misunderstanding which might result in depending upon memory as to designation of any of the particular ball.

Without further analysis the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A game indicator of the character described comprising a rectangular frame movably suspended from one of its sides and having a series of transverse slides parallel to said side, two separate and individually movable marker members on each of said slides distinctively marked for indicating a player and a ball, respectively, and a separate series of movable marker members on another slide differently marked from the first for indicating the number of games played when occupying a different position from normal position, said first marker members being free to move under the force of gravity when the indicator is laterally tilted about its point of suport but the game marker members being frictionally held against movement by gravity.

2. A game indicator as set forth in claim 1 in which each marker member comprises a relatively fiat square block with beveled edges adapted to receive a cue thereby to permit each member to be conveniently and individually moved manually.

LEWIS S. FARNER. 

